I Always Knew
by chick-a-de
Summary: He seemed to be an optimistic, dense, hyper-active idiot, but that was just the role he had to play to protect his precious love. He'd do anything to protect her, even leave the village and his dreams behind forever, no matter how much it hurt.
1. Leaving And Promises

Legend:  
-Thoughts-  
Narration  
"Talking"  
(With Certain Character or Scene Change)

* * *

I hope everyone enjoys! Please review!  
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything relating to it, but I do own this plot!

_I Always Knew_

Chapter 1: Leaving and Promises

-She's fallowing me again like she does every day in her spare time. She loves me that much is obvious, and I can't deny that I have feelings for her too. However, she can never know that I know these things. We've been like this since the first time we met in the academy, but I knew that her family would never approve of their heir with going out with an orphan someone who didn't even know their own heritage, so I became the village idiot to push her even further away. Only now do I and no other, except for those who were there during the Kyuubi attacks, know the truth that I am the container of the nine-tailed demon fox that destroyed our village and the Fourth Hokage.

But for some unfathomable reason she still clung on to me so I pretend to be in love with Sakura, but still she had hope. I did the only thing I could think of to protect her; I tried to crush her dream of ever being with me by seeming to go after Sakura whole-heartily. I would endure the pain of Sakura's rejections and punches for as long as it takes and the inevitable loneliness that I know that I cause myself later for all of eternity if only she would forget about me and move on with her life.

She was the first person, other than Iruka-sensei, to acknowledge my existence and believed in me. She never saw a failure, but a proud shinobi, who would one day accomplish his dream of one day becoming the greatest Hokage that this village has and will ever see. I may never forget her, no not may because she is impossible to forget and the entire village may think that I don't notice her, but in reality I am the one that notices her the most and I know in my heart that I will always love her and no other. This at least I accidentally showed her during the chunin exams.

Kami, all I ask is that you make her forget all about me, make her turn her beautiful kind eyes from me forever, and make sure that she lives a happy life without me ever to interrupt it again. Good-bye my love, my everlasting light, my guardian angel, my sweet sensitive beautiful Hinata.- Poof!

Naruto was suddenly gone in a cloud of smoke to a dark girl's surprise. What had surprised her was that the one that she had been following all day had somehow gotten away from her. What mystified her even more and slightly embarrassed her was the fact that, since this was a clone, he must have known that she sometimes fallowed him but never bothered to tell her. Quickly she activated her byakugan to see where he might be, to her dumbfound surprise he was almost at the east gate on the opposite side on the village with a pack, alone, and leaving. As fast as her feet would take her she raced where he was praying that it wasn't too late to stop him. Naruto then suddenly poofed before her and she stopped dead in her tracks as he grabbed both her arms gently and looked deep and meaningfully into her pearl-like eyes. "Hinata," he spoke, "I need you to please promise me two things."

"S-s-sure Naruto w-what is it?" she asked in her soft voice as a blush crept onto her face.

"Promise me that you won't tell anyone that I left or which direction that I am going, not even the Hokage," he asked softly.

"O-okay n-no problem, what's th-th-the other thing?" she inquired shyly willing to do anything that would be of use for him.

"Forget about me; move on with your life. I've known about how you've felt about me since we met, and it seems that no matter what I do, your feelings for me just seem to grow. I don't know what to do anymore, so I've decided that the best way to protect you is for me to leave and to have you forget all about me," he explained solemnly.

"B-b-but Naruto w-why would y-you ever need to protect m-m-me?" she asked both deeply flattered and confused, but most of all concerned at the strange request -Is he in some sort of trouble? What could he be protecting me from?-.

Naruto then lowered his head beside hers and cupped his hand around her ear and gently whispered so that none of the others that he had long sensed hiding nearby would hear, "The nine-tailed demon fox was not destroyed like you were told, but sealed inside me just a few short moments after I was born. The Third made it a law that no one was to speak of it or to even tell me, but Mizuki did. That's why all of the villagers hate me so much, and it would make both you and your family a bigger target. I cannot bare to be the cause of that, so please for my sake and peace of mind forget that I ever existed and move on with your life."

Tears were rolling down both their faces, Hinata's because of her sudden realization of Naruto's feelings and what he was asking and doing for her and her heart was breaking; Naruto's because he could feel his heart break all over again at the fact that he had made her cry with what he was asking of her, it almost caused his resolution to crumble. "B-but Naruto I'm not strong enough t-t-to promise that," she whispered head down.

Putting his hand under her chin he gently forced her head up to look into his cerulean blue eyes and assured her, "Hinata, you are the bravest, kindest, most forgiving, most gorgeous, sweetest, and strongest person I know. I know that you can do this, please forget that I ever existed and move on with your life."

"Oh Naruto! Please don't make me do this," she begged her stutter now gone as she boldly hugged him.

"Hinata, please, I need you to do this for me," he said stiffly not use to such contact while gently untangling Hinata's arms from him and reluctantly pushing her away.

"Naruto I can't promise that I will forget about you, but if it means that much to you I'll promise to try to forget and move on with my life, though I know that it will be the hardest thing that I will ever have to do for as long as I live," she whispered dishearteningly then the clone poofed away, but this time she knew what she had been talking to, for she had had her byakugan activated through-out the entire conversation and she broke down and wept deactivating her bloodline limit not wanting to see him go.


	2. The Chase Begins! Truth And Comfort!

Legend:  
-Thoughts-  
Narration  
"Talking"  
(With Certain Character or Scene Change)

* * *

I hope everyone enjoys! Please review!  
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything relating to it, but I do own this plot!

_I Always Knew_

Chapter 2: The Chase Begins! Truth And Comfort!

Curious and concerned Sakura, Ino, and Tenten stepped out of their hiding places to find out what was going on and where Naruto had gone off to. The girls had been tailing the two for some time hoping that they might be able to do something to bring them closer together, or at least make Naruto even see Hinata's feeling for him. They were now confused as to what the conversation they had seen was all about since neither of them could get close enough to hear what was being said. However keeping good to her promises, Hinata claimed not to know where he'd gone or who Naruto even was which surprised the girls to no end since the entire village knew that she was head over heals in love with him. Sakura checked to see if Naruto had placed some kind of jutsu on her, but found nothing and took her to see Tsunade who couldn't find a single thing wrong with Hinata either.

Gritting her teeth in frustration Tsunade then realized that Naruto had asked Hinata to do this and quite possibly had already left the village. Knowing that getting Naruto back would be an S-ranked mission Tsunade smirked, -Very good Naruto. You knew that most of the chunin, jonin, and ANBU were all going out on missions today and all that I would have left to spare to go after you are these three girls right in front of me. Of course what you probably don't know is that Kakashi has come back from his mission today as so can help track you down, wherever that lazy-ass pervert is.- "Ahh," she sighed in frustration and banged her fist on the big oak hokage desk, "that idiot, okay guys I need you to go and bring Naruto back here alive this is going to be an S- ranked mission."

"Huh? How can that be? Naruto isn't that hard to find or catch I mean he falls into the most obvious traps," Ino stated -This has got to be some mistake, Naruto can't be that good. Can he?-.

"On the contrary Naruto is actually one of the best shinobi that we have and it will be quite a challenge to find even a single trace of him at all, let alone capture him. I was thinking of instating him into the ANBU today, but it looks like that's not going to happen any time soon, if at all," Tsunade countered much to the three girls' surprise, Hinata on the other hand was one of the few who knew what Naruto was capable of, but Tsunade knew that she wouldn't do anything to help no matter what was said she would just stand there pretending to be ignorant.

"Hokage-sama, since I would be of no assistance for this mission do you mind if I take my leave now?" Hinata asked looking straight into the Hokage's amber eyes.

"Sure, go ahead Hinata," Tsunade dismissed feeling somewhat miffed by the girl for some odd reason.

"Thank-you Hokage-sama," she said politely, bowed, and left the office as quickly as she could.

As they all watched her leave it was only then that they realized that Hinata had spoken confidently and without stuttering even once, not only that but she seemed to have the air of power and prestige encircling her that could only belong to the Hyugga clan. "Now the rest of you go find Kakashi and tell him what's going on, he should be able to help. Then I want all of you to go after Naruto," she ordered being the first to recover from the shock and snapped everyone else's attention back to the mission at hand.

"Yes ma'am Hokage-sama," the girls said in unison and hurriedly took off to find Kakashi, who was training at team seven's training spot with Gai, team eight's sensei.

"Kakashi-sensei we have a mission, Naruto's leaving," said Sakura quickly informed the jounin instructor as soon as the girls were in hearing distance as they came running up to them, her at point.

Upon hearing this news both jounins immediately stopped their sparing match knowing how important this mission was. Kakashi then quickly summoned his nin-dogs and sent them to track down Naruto. Within seconds they heard five dogs howling, Pakkun then interpreted their cries, "Renji, Baku, Don, Garu, and Pon all say that they have Naruto's scent, but there's something strange about it."

"What is it?" asked Tenten curiously -What could be this time?-.

"Well, it seems that Naruto has found a good use for that shadow clone jutsu of his, he's going in five different directions at once and all of them think that they have the real Naruto. You know how hard it is to fool us Kakashi; I know you said this kid was good, but I didn't think that he was this good," he answered Tenten as he eyed Kakashi suspiciously.

"Neither did I, but I think I know some who does and which direction he's headed. Okay, Sakura, you take the eastern path, Tenten, you take the western path, Ino, you take the Northern path, and Pakkun, you take the southern path. Gai I'm going to need you to take the north-western path while I go and try to get Hinata to talk," Kakashi ordered.

"You can count on me Kakashi let's go you guys we have a ninja to catch," said Gai in his serious voice and they all took off in their assigned directions.

As soon as they were gone a cloud of smoke poofed around Kakashi to reveal yet another Naruto clone who then released the real Kakashi, who was hidden in a bush, from his genjutsu and simply knocked him unconscious with one punch before he poofed into nonexistence leaving him to be found by a very confused Tenten, who was the first to return some hours later.

It wasn't long before Sakura caught up with Don, the black and tan rottweiler that was going down the eastern path, only to find him laying on the ground in an apparent sleep, but really locked in a powerful genjutsu. Cautiously, as she approached the dog and bent down to see if his vitals were alright, but as she did this she didn't notice a dark figure coming towards her from behind until it spoke. "Hey Sakura," the figure greeted solemnly.

Taken by surprise, Sakura quickly twisted her body around and jumped back with a kunai in hand; for a second she didn't recognize the teenage boy in front of her. Suddenly it dawned on her that it was just Naruto and that the only reason that she hadn't recognized him right away was that he was now wearing dark neutral colors instead of the loud orange as was his signature. The next thing that she took in was a more devastating blow than if he were to kill her right then and there, he wasn't wearing his headband. The headband that he had worked so hard for, the one that he made a mad dash at an enemy on many occasions for, but more than that the light and laughter that Sakura had once felt could never be extinguished from his cerulean blue eyes had vanished. It was as if that light had never been there to begin with. –I don't think anyone, not even Hinata can convince him to come back to the village right now. I know that I can't beat him either, he has a sense of power rolling off of him; it's almost suffocating. He's really going to leave me, just like Sasuke-kun did- Sakura felt herself slowly fall apart at her depressing thoughts.

–I knew this would happen as soon as she saw me. To see one teammate leave you is hard enough, but now two and not only that, but she can see that I have no intention of ever coming back or having anything to do with this village again for as long as I live.- Naruto then walked slowly to her side, put his arms around her, and comforted her gently and patiently until her crying had ceased before he spoke again. "Sakura it's time that you learn how to control your energy and become the powerful kunoichi that I know you already are, but for that to happen you need both me and Sasuke to disappear for a while. In the time that I am gone I won't forget my promise, I'll bring Sasuke back to you as soon as I can," Naruto said soothingly in her ear.

"Then you'll both stay in the village," she asked hopefully –Please say yes-.

Naruto hated to break her even more than it already was, but knew that she had to know so with a heavy sigh he told her all the while avoiding her pleading eyes, "I never said that, but when that day comes I will only be here for a short while unless the village changes the way they feel about me. Because of them I can't risk getting into relationships more serious than friendship. If I do, they would hate that person or worse hurt them and it would take all the self-control I possess not to go to after them and kill them. Meanwhile it would tear me apart knowing that the person that I am with was getting hurt because of me, I couldn't live with myself if I allowed that to happen."

"I don't understand," she asked confused –Why would the villagers be so against him and if that were true, why is he try to go out with me? Is he protecting someone else then?-.

"Yes you do Sakura," he said now getting up, "you've seen me in that state before, what you don't understand is how it is possible. You see, the villagers lied to you, the Kyuubi wasn't killed that day fifteen years ago, no it was sealed within me just after I was born. The only thing is, it can only control me in extreme emotional distress or weakness, or loss of consciousness during a life or death battle. I have to go now Sakura, but feel free to tell anyone you want what's happened and because I told you the law is now null and void so you won't get in trouble."

He turned to walk away when Sakura stood up and called after him, "Naruto wait, I have one more question."

"If it's about coming with me the answer is no, you need to stay in the village. If it's about Hinata, she made a few promises to me, I asked her to do it even if it was cruel you can probably figure out what they are, but neither Hinata nor I will tell you. If it is neither of these things, though I can guess they were on your mind, then ask away," he replied with his back to her.

A few moments of silence passed before she finally asked her question, "Where are you going?"

–Trust Sakura to throw a curveball at you. I hadn't quite figured that out yet, I've been waiting for the signal.- "Away, far away, as far away as I can possibly get, then turn around and start looking for Sasuke like I promised. Look, don't worry so much, I haven't made so many friends on our missions for nothing, though I was hoping that it wouldn't have to come to this, but I had to take the necessary precautions just in case," he stated as coolly as if he was reporting the weather and disappeared instantly, at that moment Don had been released from his genjutsu, but the scent was lost, it was as if he had never been there.

Before Sakura could turn around she heard a voice on the wind, and it sounded just like the old Naruto it said, "Bye Sakura! When I get back I'll be stronger than ever! I'll even be dragging Sasuke back on his sorry ass if I have to! That's a promise, believe it!"


	3. Hinata

Legend:  
-Thoughts-  
Narration  
"Talking"  
(With Certain Character or Scene Change)

* * *

I hope everyone enjoys! Please review!  
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything relating to it, but I do own this plot!

_I Always Knew_

Chapter 3: Hinata

As soon as she had left the Hokage's Building she ran straight into her cousin, Neji, who was in a bad mood as usual. When he saw Hinata was on the verge of tears he quickly became very concerned, "Hinata, what is it, what happened?"

"It's nothing Neji, I just need to be alone for a little while," she replied and turned to walk off in a different direction, when she felt a hand grab her arm.

"Hinata I know you better than that it isn't nothing and you wouldn't be crying if it wasn't that big of a deal. What is it?" he asked genuinely concerned for her well-being.

"Let go Neji it has nothing to do with you so just drop it," she replied in a tone so dangerous that he immediately did as he was told without thinking and she walked off; this time he just left her, -What could have happened to change my soft sweet cousin this much? Something is going on and I have a feeling I won't like it when I find out what it is.-

The first thing that Hinata did when she returned home was run to the most secluded garden behind the Hyugga manor and cried her heart out for not ever having the courage to tell her crush that she loved him. She cried for having unwittingly made such a stupid promise. She also cried because now she felt truly alone. Before she had always felt that there was somehow someone else who understood the struggles that she was going through with Naruto around, but now that he was gone there was no one left for her to depend on, it was like he had just walked out on her and forgotten that she even existed.

When she was done she went inside careful not to run into anybody and took all of her notebooks and anything that reminded her of Naruto and buried them under a tree by a lake that was a little ways into the forest the surrounded Konoha. When she got back to the manor she took a long hot bath to rid her body of the weariness of a broken heart and went straight to bed even though it was noon. Nobody disturbed the Hyugga heiress as she slept and no one expected her to get up the next day, but when some one went in to check on her in the morning she was already gone.

"Why can't anyone find my daughter!" Hiashi yelled frantically -Tsunade-sama said that Naruto brat left the village yesterday. I knew that my daughter liked him, but could she love him so much as to do something drastic?-

"With all due respect sir, she mentioned earlier yesterday that she was going to be training today with her team, she may be there. Would you like me to go check?" Neji asks edgily.

"Go!" he commands jumping desperately on the single lead to is daughter's whereabouts and Neji was off.

It wasn't long before he spotted his cousin training as she had said with both her teammates and sensei clearly going at her with all they had, but try as they may they could not land a single blow. It was as if a switch had been flipped as he watched in awe at her graceful yet fierce, precise, and powerful attacks. Suddenly, Hinata disappeared and Neji had been about to activate his byakugan to try to locate her when he felt sharp metal rest against his throat.

"Leave now and tell my father that if he wants to know my strengths then he should spy on me himself," said a cold voice behind him as he felt the weapon slowly being lowered.

The voice was so devoid of emotion that it sent shivers down his back and when he turned around his suspicions were confirmed, it was Hinata. She was finally acting like the Hyugga that her father had envisioned her to be and Neji couldn't help but feel that this was not the best thing to have happened. "Hinata what is it, this isn't like you at all," he questioned -Is this what Naruto's disappearance has done to her? Sakura mentioned that there were two things that he made her promise, I know the first one and I have a sinking feeling that I can guess the second.-

"My affairs are none of your business, now go before I have you punished for disrespecting me and for disobeying orders," Hinata countered.

"You were the one who told me not to use suffixes, but I guess since Naruto left yesterday you won't ever be the same sweet cousin that I use to know and adore. Do you want to know something, you two actually got me to believe that you were going to reach your dreams and make all of the changes that you said that you would. I guess I was right about you all along things will never change, they will always stay the same as destiny would have it," Neji concluded despairingly.

"Neji, I don't recall ever knowing a Naruto, though when I first arrived here that was who my teammates were trying to convince me I had been in love with since our academy years, but I don't recall ever seeing him there either," Hinata informed him.

"That must have been one of the promises that he made you swear to. He told you to forget that he ever existed so you erased him form your mind and for you he was never alive. That was a cruel thing for him to do, but I guess under the circumstances it must have been the only thing that he could have done to help you," Neji pondered -It was exactly as I had thought, things are going to be worse then ever before- then continued, "I am truly sorry to have interrupted your training and it won't happen again unless it is an emergency Hinata-sama."

With that said he left to report to Hiashi and be off to his own training. Word got around like it does that Hinata could not remember the blonde haired ninja and that she was now a proper Hyugga and people treated he accordingly. Everyone noticed the cold aura emitted from her and wished for Naruto to return soon to bring the poor girl back from her emotional break-down, but no one was more worried about the heiress then surprisingly enough, her father. Hiashi missed her quiet smiles and soft laughs and the way that she had been so caring for all who would come to her with their problems. He had always been secretly proud of his daughter and only now regrets that he had never told her.


	4. A Stranger Enters Konoha

Legend:  
-Thoughts-  
Narration  
"Talking"  
(With Certain Character or Scene Change)

* * *

I hope everyone enjoys! Please review!  
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything relating to it, but I do own this plot!

_I Always Knew_

Chapter 4: A Stranger Enters Konoha

Five years to the day of Naruto's flight had passed in Konoha when two dark figures entered in the dead of night. They quickly made their way to Hokage Tower with eerie familiarity, as though they had lived there once before. Neither had been stopped and questioned until they entered the Hokage's Office where they were greeted by a blond woman with chocolate brown eyes. "Hokage-sama, it's been a long time. How have you been?" one of the figures inquired with obvious respect.

"Good now that you are here thank-you. I see that the years have improved your manners. Is that him?" the Hokage asked already knowing the answer -So, they've finally decided to come home-.

"Yes, would you be so kind as to allow him to return to the village with full ninja status and full pardon for any transgressions as per the original agreement?" the first figured inquired -I know this is just formality but I still feel nervous. I hope the agreement wasn't nulled just because of a change in power. The old man said that it was binding to all hokages past and future-.

"Of course, I can't hold it against either of you for why you left, but what about you? Don't you want to return as well?" she questioned back truly curious.

Both of the figures seemed to relax at her acceptance before the atmosphere tensed up once more. "I am not so sure of that as of yet. Would you allow me three weeks before I make my decision? I would like to see if anything has changed since I left to go get this bastard," the first figure requested as he tossed a playful insult at his companion, who showed no sign that he even heard.

"Very well. You may both return to your previous residents, neither of them has been touched since you left so everything should be as you left them," she informed them in dismissal.

"Thank-you Hokage-sama," the figures replied in unison before bowing and walking out the door.

The two figures walked slowly back to their homes in a companionable silence as they were weary from their long journey. On their way home they passed the Ninja Academy where they spotted a pink haired young woman. "I see you boys have finally decided to come home," she greeted them quietly with her back to them still facing the Academy, but her voice held no contempt for their choices that they had made long ago.

"Yeah, sorry it took so long for me to full-fill my promise Sakura, but this bastard was really hard to find once he got himself lost. He almost forgot about everything that we had worked so hard for to get him to where he was, but I got him here in the end and alive," the first figure explained as the second looked away in shame.

"Thank-you, Naruto, you kept your promise and that's all that matters, I don't care how long it took just that you're both back and safe," the girl turned around and the boys could see silent happy tears streaming down her face as she smiled and embraced Naruto, "I came here every night since you left, just waiting for the day that you would bring Sasuke back to me and at the same time hoping that you would stay. The village isn't the same without you Naruto, the people aren't the same; we need you. Hinata probably needs you more than anyone, since that day she's become a completely different person. In her mind you no longer exist, but I think in her heart you're still there so she ignores it completely. What did you do to her?" Sakura took a step back from him and took in both of their features -Neither of them has changed all that much since we were kids. Their features are more pronounced and their bodies are more toned, yes but like me they still look the same only older.-

At this bit of information the second figure, Sasuke, shot a curious glance at his companion. Naruto felt the older boy's glance and sighed before explaining himself -these two will just keep hounding me about it until I tell them so I might as well start now-, "I made her promise me one thing that day that I thought would be good for her. I thought that if she did that then she would be happy, but from what you're saying and not saying I gather she is more miserable than ever."

"She loves you, you dobe, she won't care about the damn Kyuubi. If you want her to stop being so miserable, just be with her already," Sasuke snarls at him -That idiot, he has no idea what he's doing when it comes to girls. Though I haven't been much help in that department he should've gone to Iruka-

"I know that, I've known that since the first time we met that she liked me and her feelings had only grown since then into love, but that's not what I'm worried about," Naruto responds.

"Then what else could it be? What could cause a dobe like you to hold back on possibly the _only _girl who can actually stand to be around you for more than five minutes?" Sasuke asked truly mystified.

"The village," Sakura replied bluntly for Naruto as she had already heard his argument before -It's the sad and undeniable truth no matter how you look at it, as _if_ there was another way to look at it-.

"Huh?" Sasuke returns -What the hell does the village have to do with anything?-.

"He's worried that the village and the clans, especially the Hyuuga clan, will do the exact same things to her as they do to him on a daily basis. He doesn't want Hinata to ever go through that kind of rejection," she clarified and all Sasuke did was nod in understanding for he knew of the boy's past.

"Naruto I get that, but wouldn't the rejection of someone's first love be much harder to bare?" Sasuke asked looking sternly at the boy, his eyes demanding an answer.

"I never told her that I _didn't_ feel the same I could never do that to her, but I just didn't want her to be even more rejected by her family than she already was. Sasuke, you remember how that was for you when Itachi betrayed you that day, don't you?" Naruto inquired seriously -this is the only way he'll come to understanding me-.

"I guess I see your point, I couldn't trust anyone for a while after that incident, but are you sure that you didn't just ruin her trust in everyone anyways?" Sasuke questioned him skeptically -Couldn't you have used a better way of dealing with this?-.

"How do you keep your faith, Naruto? You've had it so much worse than anyone I've known," Sakura asked.

"Just because.. I don't mean... Ahh! How do I explain this so that you understand?" Naruto questioned himself in frustration scratching the back of his head, then as he brought his hand down he let out a sigh and began again, "I know what I did was risky, but there wasn't any other way for me to get through to her. Hinata always had this- this inextinguishable hope that I would look her way and... I don't know be with her most likely, but that wasn't possible with Konoha's attitude towards me and she refused to see it. Hinata never saw all of their hate-filled glares, their ice cold words, she never saw any of that only me that's what kept me going, it was such a relief that someone saw only me and nothing else. However, that could get her..." -killed. It could get her killed because I hold Kyuubi and there are people, power-hungry people out there who would do anything to get a hold of his power-

Naruto turned his back on his teammates trying to regain control of his emotions, both of them understood what he had left unspoken. Sakura then spoke up turning his attention back on her, "Naruto every single villager knows of the Kyuubi inside of you, but what they don't know is your condition for staying. I wanted you to be able to make an uninfluenced decision by the villagers for staying, just know that I am hoping that you do."

"Thank-you. Sakura, why don't you stay with Sasuke tonight? By the sounds of things I'm going to need every second of sleep I can get and that will be impossible if I have to watch over him all night or listen to that prick babble the night away," he requested solemnly still not turning back to them -I need some time to sort things out to make a decision. Maybe I'll ask her this time-

"Sure no problem," she assured him -This isn't going well at all. I hope I did the right thing in telling him about Hinata, and that that doesn't get him too depressed. He won't be any good to anyone it he were like that, I hardly recognize him as it is, it's like he's a complete stranger now, he's just so much colder then when he left, it's the only thing that's really changed about him-.

"Good," he replied then turned around to Sasuke with a mischievous smile to tease him, "Now Sasuke, be a good boy for Sakura-chan here and maybe tomorrow I'll give you a special treat."

"Shut up dobe I'm not a little kid anymore," he growled in protest -He must be really upset to be teasing me like this, I can only imagine how hard this is for him and even then it's probably not even close-.

"Well you sure could have fooled me all these years, and you really shouldn't frown your face might get stuck like that. Night you two," Naruto grinned with false cheer before disappearing in a puff of smoke and revealed to the two of them that in the end they had been talking to a clone.

"That baka, he's always running off and leaving a clone in his place without anyone noticing and to make it even more frustrating he doesn't even use a diversion or any sort of cover he just does it in plain sight. How does he do it?" Sasuke questioned allowing frustration to seep into his voice.

"No one really knows, except maybe Hinata who was always watching him. That was how he ran away from Konoha without anyone even noticing that he was gone until it was too late," Sakura answered before walking to the Uchiha's home knowing that Sasuke would follow, which he immediately did.

-Well, at least that baka set things up so that I could be alone with Sakura tonight. This is the perfect opportunity to let her in on everything that's really been going on whether Naruto likes it or not- "Hey Sakura, why don't I lead?" Sasuke offered as he quickened his pace to catch up to Sakura and the lead the way to his abandoned home, the home that he hadn't seen in eight years.


	5. A Not So Happy Reunion

Legend:  
-Thoughts-  
Narration  
"Talking"  
(With Certain Character or Scene Change)

* * *

I hope everyone enjoys! Please review!  
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything relating to it, but I do own this plot!

_I Always Knew_

Chapter 5: A Not So Happy Reunion

When morning came the first thing that Naruto did after getting ready for the day was to take a walk around the village. The first thing that he noticed was that the people's stares were no longer the hateful glares that he was use to, but ones of disappointment. Feeling uneasy he went to Ichiraku only to find that the old man and his daughter were the same, though they still served him and accepted his money. When he went to the training grounds to see how Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji were doing he was met with the same looks. "Hey," Naruto greeted solemnly with none of the energy that he use to have.

To them Naruto was no longer the boisterous and warm boy that he once was, but a weary and cold man trying to pretend to be the same person he was when he left. Softening their looks slightly they gathered around the man and greeted him warmly as though he had never been away. "Thanks guys," Naruto whispered -I can't believe that they're still willing to treat me the same even after they found out about Kyuubi and what I did to Hinata-.

"No problem buddy," Shikamaru whispered back -Man he looks like shit, he probably hasn't had a good snooze in a while-.

"Sooo, how's it going? I bet you have loads of stories of all the adventures you had that you're just dieing to tell us," Ino suggested with a wide grin -Naruto never could pass up talking about himself and making himself look like the big hero of whatever story he told-.

"Actually, I'd like to hear of how you guys have been doing, I mean that's why I came here," Naruto grinned happily -I wonder how things were going when I left. When Sasuke ran off a lot of people were sad, I wonder if my friends were the same way-.

"Well if you really want to know what's been going on I'll tell you, Shikamaru and Ino finally got together like you said," Choji blurted earning surprised glances for Naruto and a smack in the head for himself from Ino.

"Hey I'm not blind you know, so how long did it take after I left?" Naruto questioned excitement filling his voice.

"A little over a year," Shikamaru answered confused -What else could he have seen that he never told us about? Does he know about Hinata's feelings for him as well?-.

"Here's your prize," Choji stated in defeat handing Naruto a sealed envelope.

"What's in there?" Ino inquired as calmly as she could -If those idiots bet any money on us it's mine-.

"Every unused free ramen ticket to Ichiraku's that Choji could find until I returned," Naruto replied casually -Looks like I'll be eating good for a while-.

"Why? How?" Shikamaru asked suspiciously.

"Well you see, I caught Naruto leaving the village five years ago and he said that he was leaving for a mission and so he wouldn't be back for a long time and we got to talking and sort of thought that we should make a bet to see how long it would take for you guys to get together. Naruto said that it would be between the first and second year that he left and I said that it would be before the first year was even up. I was supposed to get money to put a down payment on a house," Choji replied sheepishly.

"Is that all we are to you guys! Money and ramen!" Ino shouted at the two as Shikamaru muttered about her making a big deal over nothing.

"Yo! Hey Naruto! How's it been!" Kiba yelled from across the training grounds with Akamaru, Hinata, and Shino in tow.

"Hey Kiba, Shino, Akamaru, and Hinata," Naruto greeted in turn -She's even more beautiful than when I last saw her, she probably has a boyfriend by now or maybe even a fiancé, but if that were true why would Sakura say that she needs me and why does she look so despondent-.

At his greeting everyone froze with fear and turned to Hinata to see what she would do. "Who is this that he thinks he can address me so informally," Hinata demanded of the others -He may be disrespectful, but I cannot deny that he _is _quite handsome. I wonder why he looks so forlorn-.

"My apologies Hyuga-sama, I forgot my place for a moment I assure you that it will not happen again," Naruto said with a respectful bow -That was a major reality check. I think I'm beginning to see what Sakura was talking about. This may be more troublesome than I had first anticipated-.

"Good see to it, now I should like to know as to whom you would be since you already seem to know who I am," she inquired adequately satisfied causing relived sighs from their friends surrounding them -It seems as though he has been taught the ways of the nobility, very impressive-.

"Naruto Uzumaki, container of Kyuubi the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox my lady," he replied taking another bow -The Hinata I knew would never use her status as an heiress to elevate herself above others, she would rather have dismissed titles altogether-.

"Oh, so you are the one that everyone is saying that I was in love with. Would you mind telling me how that is possible when this is our first meeting?" Hinata asked -Though it feels as if I've known him for a lifetime; I can see right through his façade-.

-It seems like she can still recognize me. I don't know whether that's a good or bad thing- With a sad smile he replied, "Hyuga-sama you would not believe me even if I told you so if you would please disregard everything that your friends have told you about me and may we begin anew?"

"I believe that would be a great pleasure, why don't you come to the Hyuga estate for tea tomorrow? I believe that my father would take a great liking to," she inquired.

"My lady you are too kind, it would be an honor. Now what has been going on with you guys," Naruto asked turning his attention back to the rest of his friends.

Quickly all of his friends made up excuses and left leaving only him and Hinata. "I apologize, but I too must now take my leave. My father is expecting me at home for training soon and I do not wish to be late," she said after a few uncomfortable minutes of silence and left before he could say a word.

"I never imagined that things would turn out like this. Was what I asked her to do really so horrible that she had to lock away her heart to keep from falling apart?" Naruto asked the gentle breeze going by.

After standing there for a few minutes longer and not getting any sort of answer he left himself. Naruto spent the rest of the day in his apartment and left only when the sun had set to Sasuke's home for he couldn't bare to be alone that night.


	6. I'm Late! I'm Late!

Legend:  
-Thoughts-  
Narration  
"Talking"  
(With Certain Character or Scene Change)

* * *

I hope everyone enjoys! Please review!  
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything relating to it, but I do own this plot!

_I Always Knew_

Chapter 6: I'm Late! I'm Late!

The next morning Naruto was awoken by a grumpy Uchiha pushing him off the bed, it took him a while to figure out where he was as he couldn't see the trees above him. Blinking back the last remnants of sleep he took in the sparsely furnished room with just a single window above the bed and a dresser at the far end of the wall then up at his friend. "Hey dobe, are you going to just lie in bed all day or are you going to get up anytime soon?" Sasuke questioned -I bet this idiot forgot-.

"Bastard, you could have let me sleep for another few hours," he retorted hotly -I was up all night trying to think of a way to fix the damage that I did to Hinata without me becoming too incorporated into her life again, but nothing comes to mind-.

"Now there's the Naruto I know," Sasuke commented blinking in surprise -I haven't seen him like this ever since we met up at Orochimaru's lair. I hate to admit it, even if it's only to myself, but I missed this side of him-.

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm the same as I've always been," Naruto asked confused -I wonder what knocked a few screws loose in Sasuke's head training under Orochimaru or killing his brother-.

"No, for the past few years you've been acting like me. Aren't you going to the Hyuga estate for tea today?" Sasuke asked changing the subject.

"Yeah, why you ask?" Naruto asked suspiciously -I don't like this, him reminding me of something is never a good sign-.

"No reason, only that you have one hour to get there and the Hyuga estate is all the way across the village," Sasuke commented airily -I guess it's a good thing he didn't forget, but to oversleep what would he do without me?-.

"Teme! Why the hell didn't you wake me up sooner!" Naruto yelled picking himself off the floor and running to the bathroom to get ready -Rrrgg! I swear that bastard is dead set against me!-.

"I tried, but you wouldn't get your lazy ass up so I finally gave up and kicked you onto the floor. Oh, you might want to put this on, it's a traditional robe," Sasuke yelled tossing a dark blue robe over in the frantic blonde's direction, which he caught and quickly changed into.

When Naruto had finished he rushed out of the Uchiha estate and off to the Hyuga estate leaving behind a smirking Sasuke until the doorbell rang a few moments later, transforming the smirk into a smile he went to answer it.

A yellow and blue blur sped its way through Konoha, something that the villagers hadn't seen since Naruto had left making everyone nostalgic for the hyper blonde. Suddenly a person stepped in the way of the blur causing both figures to tumble on the streets. "All right I want to know who-," but the person never finished their question as they now clearly saw who it was that they had been trying to stop and instead asked another question, "Naruto?"

"Yeah just who the hell did you think I was, Orochimaru? Me and Sasuke killed that bastard a long lime ago! Just who the hell are you and what were you thinkin' stepping in someone's way like that? You know you could have been seriously hurt? What the hell are they teaching kids these days?" Naruto shouted ranting.

"Boss you mean you don't remember me?" the young boy in front of him asked disappointedly -I guess I shouldn't have hoped for so much, I mean there were a lot of other people more important to him, I was just some kid-.

At the familiar title Naruto stiffened and looked the boy from head to toe -I don't believe it, it can't be...- then did a double take, "There are only three people who call me that," he stated with a wide grin before continuing wrapping the boy up in a big bear hug, "Konohamaru! Is that really you? Man it's been so long I remember when you use to look like just a little squirt! Well now you're not that little anymore, but you're still a squirt."

"Boss, you're... crushing... me," Konohamaru said between gasps as he tried to get out of the hug only to fall flat on his butt when Naruto suddenly let go -It's good that he remembered and it looks like he's gotten a lot stronger too; he's in a whole different league than me. I guess Naruto is still the coolest-.

"Sorry 'bout that. Guess I was just so excited that I forgot my own strength," Naruto apologized sheepishly helping Konohamaru up -Man, the kid has certainly grown up. He doesn't look like the same kid that use to try and ambush me all the time anymore. I really wish I could have been there for him, but I'm sure Iruka-sensei watched over him like he did me-.

"Hey Boss where are you going in such a hurry anyway? And what's with the formal wear?" the boy asked taking in his mentor's appearance.

"Oh, I was just on my way to Hinata's place for TEA! Oh man I'm going to be so late! Sorry Konohamaru, but Lord Hiashi is gonna kill me if I'm even one millisecond late then Neji will bring me back to life and kill me again! We'll catch up later I promise and next time Meogi, Udon I want to see how much you guys have grown too!" Naruto shouted in departure as he took off once more in a blur.

Stepping out of their hiding places Meogi and Udon each gave curious looks to Konohamaru. "How does he always know where we are?" Meogi complained.

"Yeah, even Akamaru can't sense us anymore and he the best at chakra detection," Udon put in equally miffed.

"Boss has spent five years being hunted down by other BINGO ninja and ninja from our own village as well, so his senses are probably even more attuned to chakra than even Akamaru if he could sense you guys by just instinct alone. If he really tried he could probably pick out a single chakra signature that was nearly gone in a village twice this size," Konohamaru explained to his friends.

"But that's impossible, even with the Kyuubi boosting his senses," Udon protested.

"Yeah, no human could possibly so that," Meogi supported annoyed that Konohamaru seemed to just be messing with them again.

"Not for him, he has something else to help him with that," Konohamaru replied almost reminiscently before clapping his hands and getting back to his usual self, "Okay! No more time to chit-chat we have a mission to complete."

Meogi and Udon exchanged curious looks but dropped the subject as they knew the would get no more from there teammate and continued on with their mission of patrolling the village.


	7. Tea Party With The Hyugas!

Legend:  
-Thoughts-  
Narration  
"Talking"  
(With Certain Character or Scene Change)

* * *

I hope everyone enjoys! Please review!  
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything relating to it, but I do own this plot!

_I Always Knew_

Chapter 7: Tea Party With The Hyugas!

Naruto arrived with only one second to spare and still breathing normally and not a hint of sweat at the front door of the main Hyuga mansion, which he took to quickly smooth down his clothes and take a deep breath to try and calm his nerves. As soon as the clock struck one (A/N: I think that's when tea time is if not please let me know when it is) he knocked on the door as calmly as he could even though his nerves were still on edge. The door was immediately opened to reveal a glaring Neji. Naruto sweat dropped and greeted him with a smile, "Hey Neji, what's up?" -Just my fucking luck, her cousin Neji answers the door and it looks like he wants to kill me-

"Hello Naruto, you don't know how much I've been looking forward to this and Hinata-sama was so kind as to allow me to be the first to greet you when you came over," Neji replied almost sinisterly -I swear I'm gonna kill him if he so much as _thinks _about hurting Hinata again-.

"Is that so, well we mustn't keep her waiting now must we?" Naruto replied wanting to get though the afternoon without getting maimed.

"No, Hinata-sama would not like that at all, won't you please come in? I'll show you to the room in which tea will be held this afternoon," Neji asked much to Naruto's relief though he still didn't let down his guard.

Naruto quickly removed his sandals at the front door then followed Neji through the long and elegant corridors of the mansion. Neji then crouched in front of a pair of ordinary sliding redwood doors and knocked gently before announcing his arrival. A second later came a confirmation to let him in and while still on his knees Neji slid open the door to admit him. The first thing he noticed was it was that there was another pair of sliding doors, but these were open to a view of a tranquil garden. The rest of the room was just as impressive as it seemed to take the tranquility of the garden and bring it inside. In the middle of the room was a single low square table with four red sitting pillows around it and one of them was occupied by Lord Hiashi in his usual garb. "Lord Hiashi-sama," Naruto greeted respectfully with a bow as he heard the door slide close behind him -Great, I've just voluntarily walked into the lions' den. If I remember correctly Hiashi doesn't take a liking to anybody and probably least of all me after what I've done-.

"Naruto-san," Hiashi greeted in turn -So, he came after all. I wonder what he'll do now-, "Have a seat," he instructed waving his hand at the empty seats beside him which Naruto nervously accepted.

"I apologize if my being here is any inconvenience to you," Naruto said as he took a seat to the left of the Hyuga -I have to make a good impression, this is going to take all of the training that I've had over the years. I just hope that it's enough-.

"Not at all, actually it was you being gone that was the inconvenience," Hiashi informed him as he narrowed his eyes -He is nothing like how he was when he fought my nephew in the chuunin exams. Instead he's turned himself into one of high nobility; he's just as Hinata said-.

"I became aware of Hinata's state the night that I returned from Sakura Haruno, my old teammate. However, the full consequences of my decision hadn't become clear until I met up with her yesterday. My only wish was to make her safe and happy, but nothing I do seems to work," Naruto answered shaking his head in defeat.

"_HAPPY! HAPPY! _You thought that_ leaving _my daughter _alone_ and going off Kami knows where would make her_ happy! _Have you lost your mind Naruto Uzumaki or did you even have one to begin with?" Hiashi shouted enraged -Is he still so lost on the ways of women even after all this time? This is beyond ridicules-.

"With all due respect neither you and your clan nor the rest of the village gave me a whole lot of choice in the matter; I was just looking out for Hinata's well being. I know that she is strong, but I just don't want her to have to go through all of the prejudice that I have to go through every day," Naruto explained respectfully and calmly catching Hiashi off guard -I thought that the byakugan was supposed to be like an all seeing eye or something! How can all of the Hyugas be so blind to everything around them then?-.

"Who are you? I don't know who you are, but you are definitely not the boy my daughter fell in love with. What happened to that boy? What happened to Naruto Uzumaki?" Hiashi questioned -That is the boy that Hinata needs, that is the boy that we've all been waiting for to return-.

"He grew up the best he knew how in a world that deemed him a demon, shunned him, and tormented him for crimes he did not commit without mercy. I had always feared not for my life, but for the lives of my tormentors; if the Kyuubi ever got out of control I would never be able to forgive myself or show my face to Hinata. These qualities that everyone sees now have always been there. Before I left and Hinata forgot these were recessive qualities to our natures, but the change only took place so that we could cope with something so monumentally excruciating. What we did was extremely painful for the both of us and had you lived either of our lives you would not have hoped to live so long," Naruto informed never leaving his respectful tone.

"The two of you are exactly like we had always wished you to be, only now that we have it do we realize that we prefer how you were before," Hiashi sighed in shame.

"That is often the way of wishes," Naruto confirmed -I just hope that the rest of the village follows your view-.

Just then they heard the sound of sliding wood and they both turned their heads to the door to find Hinata coming in with a tea tray dressed in a soft lavender colored kimono. As she made her way to the table it seemed as though she were gliding; then with all the grace in the world she sat across from her father, set down the tea, and poured some first to her father, then to him, and lastly to herself. After they had all taken their first sip of the tea Naruto spoke, "Hinata-sama you truly are a rare gem. Not only are you the most beautiful woman that I've ever had the honor to lay eyes on, but you move with such grace, as though you were a gently flowing river. To top it off you make an exquisite cup of tea; if there is any such man out there that you deem worthy of you I would like to meet him as he must be the luckiest man alive."

"You give me too much credit Naruto-kun," Hinata replied staring down at her tea and when she noticed what she had said she snapped her head up to see a smiling Naruto and she began to blush almost unperceivablely, but Naruto caught it, "I meant to say Naruto-san; I apologize if I offended you."

"Not at all, in fact I would prefer you to call me that, that is if you father doesn't disapprove of course," Naruto encouraged -She is so beautiful when she blushes and it gives me great pleasure to know that I'm the only one that can cause such a phenomenon- causing her to blush even deeper so that now Hiashi noticed.

Hiashi smiled at this -It would seem that Hinata is still in love with him, and by the way he is treating her I would say that he has fallen for her himself. Hinata hadn't told him of her feelings before he left because she was so shy, but now it's because she has locked away her heart. Naruto on the other hand wouldn't have anything to do with her before because he thought that by staying away from her, he would protect her against the prejudice aimed at him, but had that changed now? Is he going to stay and be with my Hinata and make her happy? And his eyes, they seem to soften and sparkle with life when they are on her- "I will approve of anything she wants to call you, but what I want to know is how long you are planning to stay in the village?" Hiashi asked.

-So the old man wants to know if I'll be taking off again like I did last time and why I'm still in the village. Is he expecting me to stay?- Naruto almost smirked at this revelation. "Tsunade-hokage-sama has granted my request of a three-week stay before I make my decision, I want to see what's changed and what's stayed the same," he answered plainly, knowing that Hiashi would understand his meaning while at the same time not rouse Hinata's curiosity.

"That seems fair, how are you enjoying yourself so far?" Hinata inquired innocently -I've heard stories of how he was treated for being the Kyuubi's container, but was it really so bad that he would consider leaving the village forever? I don't want him to leave-.

"The people have changed that's for sure, especially the one that I love. She's not herself anymore and it's all my fault. To be honest I don't know what I expected when I returned, but it definitely wasn't this," Naruto answered solemnly -And I only have myself to blame-.

"I'm sure if you just explained things to her she will understand," Hinata suggested, trying to be helpful -So he already loves someone, I wonder who it could be-.

"I know she would, but it is the persecution that she will receive upon being with me from the villagers that is holding me back," Naruto explained not looking at her, but past her -Why is this so difficult for me? I can't even look at her I'm so ashamed of myself-.

"Then tell her everything and let her make up her own mind of what she wants to do. If she believes you are worth it she will stay by your side and the only thing you need do is to stand by her through all of it," Hinata advised.

At this Naruto looked into her eyes and saw a spark of love and recognition, but it was quickly extinguished before anything could become of it. He smiled slightly at this and replied, "You are very wise Hinata-sama, thank-you for the advice I shall take it into deep consideration. Now enough of this business, let's talk of more pleasant things."

So the tea went on as such. Hinata talked of her training and Hiashi talked of politics, but not another word on Naruto's life was spoken. In the end he ended up staying for dinner before taking his leave and heading over to his own apartment not even bothering to turn on any lights as he made his way to his bed and flopped face-down on the pillow.-What have I done?- was the last thing that went through his mind before slipping into a dreamless sleep.


	8. The King Is Back!

Legend:  
-Thoughts-  
Narration  
"Talking"  
(With Certain Character or Scene Change)

* * *

I hope everyone enjoys! Please review!  
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything relating to it, but I do own this plot!

_I Always Knew_

Chapter 8: The King Is Back!

The next day Naruto went to Hokage Tower to see when the Konohamaru Corps was off duty. Tsunade told him that he would find them at the Academy in Iruka's class and that he should pop in. So feeling a little mischievous that's exactly what he did. Poof! A cloud of smoke appeared in the middle of the front of the class; drawing everyone's attention and when it cleared it revealed a smiling Naruto. "Hey guys, what's up?" he greeted the Konohamaru Corps who were just staring at him in shock.

A dark aura suddenly filled the room causing Naruto to sweat and turn around slowly, smile frozen in place -I haven't felt this in a lond time-. As Iruka's angry face came into view he lost all nervousness and immediately brightened, his smile turned into a grin -I knew it! This is gonna hurt, but I sure as hell am gald to see him again-. "Iruka-sensei!" he cried out joyously running to the angry chuunin to give him a hug only to be punched upside his head causing the entire class plus the Konohamaru Corps to face fault and Naruto to whine while rubbing his sore head, "Geez, Iruka-sensei that really hurt. What'd you do that for? Huh?"

"First you just disappear without even so much as a 'good-bye' for 5 years, then I don't hear so much as a single word from you telling me how you're doing, then I hear you arrived back 3 _DAYS _ago, and now you just decide to 'pop' in to say 'hi' right in the middle of me teaching a class!" Iruka yelled -what the hell has been going through that boy's head all these years, I thought I taught him better than that- then took a deep breath and smiled, "But it sure is good to have you back Naruto, things just haven't been the same without you."

Naruto then got up grin in place, and hugged his teacher, "I'm sorry I made you worry Sensei and that I haven't come to see you sooner, but if I ever told you 'good-bye' that would mean that I was never coming back."

"You mean you're planning on leaving again? What about-," Iruka asked surprised not compleating his last question -I thought that him leaving was to get Sasuke, now that he's back isn't his reason for leaving done with too?-.

"Sure I'll be leaving again, but whether it's for a mission or permanently I haven't decided yet, but I promise to write you this time," Naruto answered sadly shaking his head, then turned to face the class only to face fault himself -Did Iruka hit me too hard? I thought I just saw...-

Right in front of him, nearly half the class was wearing the same goggles he had when he was their age, the same that the Konohamaru Corps had worn after him. "You like Boss?" Konohamaru asked -I guess this wasn't the best way to break the news to him-.

"It's amazing! You guys have grown the Konohamaru Corps to so many now. This must have taken a lot of work, I'm very proud of you," Naruto stated while getting up -i guess my eyes weren't decieving me. I just can't believe it, it really is impressive work-.

"Uh, Boss, they're called the Naruto Uzumaki Corps now," Meogi informed him.

Turning to them wide-eyed he was met with three smiling and proud faces and all he could do was ask one question, "What?" -Why would they do that? To change the name to my own? It's, it's more than I could have ever dreamed!-

"Well after you left we renamed ourselves the Naruto Uzumaki Corps in honor of you and all that you've taught us," Udon explained proudly.

"At first we were harassed about it, but when we heard from Sakura about the Kyuubi, it was then that I understood what you were trying to tell me that first day we met," Konohamaru confessed, "I never knew that you faced life-or-death every time you walked out of your apartment and still you went on like nothing was wrong, it really is impresive."

"We knew we had to stay strong for you so we looked to each other for support, and soon more kids were wanting to join. They saw what you had done for us and thought that we might be able to do the same for them," Meogi said smiling.

"You guys, you shouldn't have," Naruto said as his eyes began to mist over when something caught his eye, " Hey, why is that girl the only one wearing a blue scarf?"

"She's a fox, like me and you," Konohamaru answered.

"Eh?" was Naruto's intellegent response -What the hell is Konohamaru going on about?-.

"Kaguya-chan come down here and meet the King Prankster," Konohamaru called out -Nothing good can come out of this, but I guess he's going to find out one way or another anyway so why not like this-.

A girl with red hair that went to her waist and lavender eyes stood up and made her way to the front of the class. A dark blue tank top and black cargo pants were all that clothed her toned tan body besides the scarf that she wore like a belt which was why Naruto had almost missed it and the goggles were fitted on her forehead. As she made her way over he noticed a mischievous grin on her face to which his only reply was to smile his fox grin back at her to which Udon, Meogi, Konohamaru, and Iruka all took 3 steps back from them. "Kaguya, that means night right," he mused to which his only reply was a nod, "You look more like a sunset than night, why are you called a fox?"

The girl motioned him closer to which he obliged and she whispered to him, "You were perceived as weak when you were strong, deception is key for a ninja I am the class-clown and a prankster in my own right, that is why I am the fox and the only fox there is to be at the Academy until I graduate and appoint the next one like you did to Konohamaru and him to me. No one inside the Academy or younger is to know what that title means until they leave the Academy and they can't tell anyone in the Academy or younger like how the secret of you being the Kyuubi container was."

"Heh, know-it-all, you were just reading from that scroll," Naruto smirked quietly so that only she heard which caused her to flush at being caught as she quickly put the scroll away then he turned to Konohamaru to compliment him, "You chose well, she's just like you."

"Really Boss?" Udon asked skeptically, "Most people think-" Udon is interrupted as Kaguya quickly pulled a cord and balloons filled ramen noodles fell on... herself? then Udon finished his sentence hesitantly, "she's just like you?"

Everyone looked at the scene in shock as they saw Kaguya's prank turned on herself. Kaguya was now covered in ramen and everyone was watching in anticipation on what was going to happen next as something like this had never happened before. Then to their further astonishment she started laughing, at first it was just a small chuckle but then it grew into a full blown laugh and Naruto joined her. Slowly one by one everyone started to join in on the laughter and students and teachers from nearby classrooms hearing it came to see what it was all about and started laughing along with them. After a good 20 minutes of laughing everyone eventually calmed down and with a grin Kaguya spoke, "Naruto-sama, you're even better than everyone says you were."

"Were! Were! I'll have you know that Naruto Uzumaki is the King Prankster of the past, present, and future and there isn't a single person who can surpass me and I never lose my touch!" Naruto shouted then as an afterthought continued, "And cut the formal crap!"

Laughing could suddenly be heard and as everyone looked around for the source of it Naruto just smirked and looked up to the ceiling drawing everyone else's attention there as well to see Sasuke Uchiha with an arm loosely wrapped around Sakura Haruno's waist as she leaned on his chest; both of them laughing. "Glad to see you haven't lost your touch Naruto, even though you haven't pulled a prank in the 5 years we were gone," Sasuke smirked still laughing slightly -Though I'm very grateful for that it was still really weird; I kept having to look over my shoulder for the first year in case he was planning something-.

"You look so much more like yourself now," Sakura snickered as the two of them dropped from the ceiling and huged their teammate, "Thank-you, Naruto, without you saying what you did when you left I don't think that I'd be the ninja I am now."

"Come on Sakura, give yourself a little more credit than that, you would've realized it eventually. Now would you guys mind telling me why you've been following me around everywhere since yesterday? I thought you guys were suppose to be on a date or something," Naruto asked eyeing the two suspiciously -The bastard finally asks her out and he takes her to spy on me. How she's still with him right now Kami only knows, I would have dumped his ass right away!-.

"Well we were on a date, but Sakura was worried about you so I suggested that we follow you. Listen, Naruto, I know you're not going to like this, but I told her everything that's happened over the past 5 years," Sasuke confessed.

"Even?" Naruto questioned seriously -He promised not to tell anyone-.

"Yeah, even that," Sasuke answered not looking him in the eye -It couldn't be helped, I had to tell her how everything started-.

"Oh, okay. Well I guess I was going to tell her eventually anyway, you just did it for me. Sakura you don't hate me for what we did do you?" Naruto asked her hesitantly -I hope she's not mad that I never told her about my bloodline limit-.

"No, but I do think you should tell everyone," she answered him forcefully.

"Sasuke I know I've asked you before, but how can you stand this crazy psychopathic chick again?" Naruto asked turning to his best friend as he ignored Sakura's hostile glare.

"The same way you endure all that pain for that shy wallflower turned icecube chick," Sasuke countered simply, ignoring the pain shooting up his arm as Sakura tried to squeeze the life out of it.

"Love," they said in unison as they hung their heads and sighed at their predicaments, which placated Sakura immedeatly.

"Naruto-sama, this is all very interesting and all, but how did you foil my prank?" Kaguya inquired in an almost whining tone as she dried herself off with a towel that she had seemingly got from nowhere.

Turning to her Sakura asked, "Is that miso ramen?"

"Yeah," Kaguya answered not getting why she was being asked this.

"Kaguya-chan, you never try and pull a prank on Naruto if there is ramen involved, especially miso he can smell it a mile away," Konohamaru spoke up laughing along with the rest of the Konohamaru Corps, Iruka, and Team 7.

"Well I smelled the ramen as soon as I came in and spotted the trap immediately. When I saw Iruka-sensei I quickly took out a kunai and threw it to change the trajectory of the fall of the balloons when I threw up my arms to hug him," Naruto explained with his fox grin.

"Makes sense, how would you have done the prank then Naruto-sama?" Kaguya asked thoughtfully almost eagerly as she leaned ever so slightly towards the blonde man.

"I would have put it either above Iruka-sensei's head or above the person's head that I least liked in the class, and I would have used bacon grease because that stuff is impossible to get out instead of ramen, that's just wrong," Naruto answered -That poor wasted ramen, I could've eaten that for lunch-.

"Naruto how do you get all these kids to look up to you and respect you without even trying, but when it comes to the adults you have to work at it?" Sakura asked -This just doesn't make any sense. How can kids be so accepting when the adults are so stubborn?-.

"To the kids the Kyuubi attack doesn't really sink in for them because they weren't there to experience it, while the adults were there and they remember the pain of seeing friends and family members dieing right before their eyes; it's not something that you forget very easily and Naruto was perceived as the demon itself instead of just it's container," Iruka answered -It is a shameful thing, but that is just how people are-.

"Oh, I see. Naruto at the end of the week all of rookie nine plus Team 9 and the Sand Siblings will be in town, so you want to tell them about your's and Sasuke's little scheme then? We can do it over dinner at Sasuke's place," Sakura suggested.

"Will there be ramen?" Naruto asked to which his teammates, Iruka, and the Konohamaru Corps just smiled.

"Of course there'll be ramen you dobe," Sasuke smirked.

"Then I guess I'll be there, just let me be the one to invite everyone will you?" Naruto asked with a smile.

"Sure, it's this saturday at 6 and the Sand Siblings are suppose to stay as Sasuke's place so you might as well tell them when you invite them for dinner," Sakura informed them.

"Right, 6 o'clock, this saturday, Sand Siblings staying at Sasuke's, got it! Anything else?" Naruto asked -I hope she doesn't make me do any shopping with her for this thing-.

"No, that's it," Sakura said after a moment not able to think of anything more.

"Hey what about us, we have a right to know! He _is _our Boss!" Meogi demanded for her team.

"And _my _student," Iruka put in not wanting to left out of something so important to his student.

"And _our _idol," Kaguya stated for the Naruto Uzumaki Corps who voiced their agreement.

"People, people, I can't make enough food for everyone!" Sakura shouted flabbergasted then turned to Naruto and Sasuke, "It's your guy's secret you invite whoever you want."

"I'm good with who is coming already, Naruto what about you?" Sasuke asked.

"Just Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, and the Konohamaru Corps if that's okay with you Sakura," Naruto said with finality on the guest list as he asked his pink teammate for permission.

"That's fine, but you're going to have to help me and Sasuke with the dinner preparation," Saukra told him sternly.

"Okay, I bet even Garra will want to help too," Naruto said cheerfully as he disappeared out the door to inform the rest of the party guests.

"Well there he goes, just as hyper as always," Iruka sighed -I don't think he'll ever grow up-.

"Yeah, it's good to see him like this again," Sasuke said earning himself a confused look from Iruka, Konohamaru, Meogi, and Udon to which he just smiled a knowing smile and disappeared in a teleportation jutsu with Sakura to start gathering the needed ingredients.


End file.
